A Lap-Band is an inflatable silicone device that is placed around the top portion of the stomach, via laparoscopic surgery, in order to treat obesity. Adjustable gastric band surgery is an example of bariatric surgery designed for obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater—or between 35–40 in cases of patients with certain co morbidities that are known to improve with weight loss, such as sleep apnea, diabetes, osteoarthritis, GERD, Hypertension (high blood pressure), or metabolic syndrome, among others. Obesity is caused by a combination of genetics, environmental issues, and behavioral factors. Consumption of high-calorie foods, consumption of too much food, and a sedentary lifestyle all work together to create this condition. Obesity is associated with the development of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, arthritis, sleep apnea, cholelithiasis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. More than 100 million Americans (65% of the adult population) are overweight. Obesity is the second-leading cause of preventable death in the United States after smoking. Obesity-related diseases account for 400,000 premature deaths each year.
Indications for Laparoscopic Lap-band surgery:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided a consensus statement for selecting bariatric surgery candidates. Patients were considered candidates for surgery if they met one of the following criteria:
1. Body mass index (BMI) >40
2. BMI of 35-40 plus one of the following obesity-associated comorbidities:
2.1 Severe diabetes mellitus
2.2 Pickwickian syndrome
2.3 Obesity-
2.4 Severe sleep apnea
2.5 Osteoarthritis interfering with lifestyle
To be candidates for bariatric surgery, patients should have attempted, without success, to lose an appropriate amount of weight through supervised diet changes. Patients must also comply with postoperative diet and exercise.
Criteria for laparoscopic lap-band surgery:
In India requirements for the Laparoscopic Lap-Band surgery are the same as for any other weight loss surgery. It is also recommended by the NIH (Nation Institute of Health. These criteria were originally set in the early 1990s and have not changed. If your BMI, or body mass index, is between 35 and 39, then you must also have associated severe medical problems, or co-morbid conditions, in order to be a candidate for the Lap-Band. These conditions usually include diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol. But if your BMI is greater than 40, then it is not required that there be any associated medical problems.
Most insurance companies also require a history of previous attempts at weight loss. How stringent these requirements are can differ from one insurance company to another. Many people do not meet the NIH requirements or do not have the insurance benefit for weight loss surgery, but they may still be able to pursue the procedure by paying for it themselves.
Procedure of Laparoscopic lap-band surgery:
After performing a series of small incisions, your surgeon would use a small camera, called a laparoscope, to visualize placement of the Lap-Band. The Lap-Band is placed around the top of the stomach and secured in place with sutures. The port is then placed underneath the skin on the top part of the abdomen. Surgery should take only about an hour, and an overnight stay in the hospital may or may not be required. Injecting saline into the port inflates the band, making the passage to the lower part of the stomach smaller, which further restricts food intake. Fluid can easily be removed in the doctor's office if it is too tight.
The Operation for laparoscopic lap-band surgery:
The idea behind the operation is to create a small pouch in the upper part of the stomach with a controlled and adjustable stoma, without stapling, thus limiting food intake.
The operation is performed under general anesthesia and can last between 30 minutes and 1 hour. The Band is fitted around the uppermost part of the stomach, forming a 15cc small pouch. It is designed so that it can be inflated or deflated at any time after the operation. This helps the patient continually lose weight until they reach their goals. The restriction takes place in the radiology suite and normally takes 15 minutes. This simple procedure is painless. They inject saline into a port placed under the skin in the wall of the stomach. The tube that comes off of the band leads to the port.
Recovery and Aftercare for the laparoscopic lap-band surgery in India:
Surgeons in India are dedicated to bring smile on patients face. After Laparoscopic lap-band surgery, you should be able to return to work within a week, with minimal discomfort. You will need to follow a nutrition plan (which may include vitamin supplements)
Why India?
India has the best qualified and most capable doctors in Laparoscopic Lap-Band surgery and this has been realized world wide. Some of the best doctors and hospitals in the world have been discovered in India and if the undisputed talents and impeccable reputations of these surgeons don’t immediately convince patients that they are placing themselves in some of the safest medical hands in the world, then India’s state-of-the-
